Rail-holding device.



J. BJLATIMER & A. 1) CLOUD.

RAIL HOLDING DEVIGE.

APPLICATION FILED 001231, 1908.

rr an JAMES B. LATIMER AND ARTHUR D. CLOUD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAIDCLOUD AS- SIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'IO V. K. KENLY COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RAIL-HOLDING DEVICE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES B. LATIMER and ARTHUR D. CLOUD, citizens ofthe United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Rail-Holding Device, of whichthe following is a specification.

Our invention relates to railway track appliances, and more particularlyto that class of such appliances as are designed for preserving theright relation of the rails to the ties.

More specifically our invention belongs to that type of such deviceswhich provides means to prevent the endwise or longitudinal movement ofrails, known as creep ing.

The main objects of our invention are, first: to lessen the time,trouble and expense hitherto involved in the application and maintenanceof devices of the character described, and, second: to effect thesubstantial combination of a tie or bearing plate, the same being anarticle of general and ap proved usage, and a simple, effective andinexpensive means to prevent creeping of rails, which combination shallserve all useful purposes of a tie or hearing plate, while involving, inits application and subsequent care, no more effort and expense than theforms of tie or hearing plates now in general use, and shall, with theminimum of extra labor and cost, be easily adaptable to serve theadditional. purposes of a means to prevent creeping of rails.

These objects we accomplish through the provision of the device which ishereinafter described and explained, and an approved form of which setforth in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 of these drawings represents a plan view of a rail holdingdevice of our invention, showing the same attached to a rail and restingupon a tie. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the same, Fig. 3, a plan viewof the wedge member thereof, Fig. 4, a sectional view of a part of thedevice taken along the line 6, 6, Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the wedge member.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 31, 1908.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 460,536.

The device, in the preferable form now known to us, consists of a flatplate 3, of substantial and suitable material and construction, and ofabout the same general form and size of the most approved bearing platesor supports to prevent undue wear of rails upon the ties, which platesare known generally as tie plates, and lugs or shoulders, as 4 and 5, ofvarious and suitable size and shape, and of ample and practicableconstruction and strength, upon said plates and rigidly attachedthereto, and a wedge member 7, of suitable and substantial construction, size and shape, which is adapted to be inserted between therail and the shoulder 5, substantially as shown in the drawings.

The lug or shoulder 4, is shaped to the general form of the edge of thelower or base portion of the rail, and is adapted to engage and bearupon the same; and the lug or shoulder 5, together with the surface ofthe plate 3, forms a suitable channel or recess to receive and engagethe wedge member 7.

The plate 3, is provided on one side of the lower or base portion of therail with vertical slotted openings or holes 8, 8, the longest dimensionof which is in a direction parallel to the rail, and which allow of asliding engagement with the means for holding the plate upon the tie.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, 11 designates a spike which represents theholding means. On the side of the plate opposite the vertical slottedopenings are provided anumber of symmetrically arranged holes, shown as2, 2, 2, extending vertically through the plate 3, and the. shoulder 5,and of a size and shape suitable to receive such fastening or holdingmeans as a bolt, spike, or screw. This holding means is represented inthe drawing, Fig. 1, by the spike 13. The pro jecting shoulder 5,carries a number of strengthening ribs 14, 14, to insure its permanentrigid connection to the plate 3. The channel or recess formed betweenthe lower surface of the shoulder 5 and the upper surface of the plate8, is of suitable width and depth to receive and contain the wedgeshaped member 7 and has its inner edge set and adapted to form an anglewith the lengthwise dimension of the rail to maintain the wedging actionof wedge member 7.

Upon that edge of wedge member 7, which is adapted to engage and bearupon the edge of the lower or base portion of the rail, a shoulder 17,is provided to overlap the edge of the lower or base portion of therail, and to conform, generally, in shape thereto. The wedge member 7,is fitted with a number of holes of suitable size and shape, extendingat right angles to the lower surface of the wedge, substantially asshown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5, which holes are arranged so that not morethan one of them can at any one time conform to or coincide with any ofthe holes of corresponding shape and size which extend verticallythrough the plate 3, and shoulder 5, as shown in Fig. 1. In the drawingit will be observed that, of the holes shown, the middle one in thewedge 7, coin cides with the middle one in the plate 3, while any otherholes in the wedge do notcoincide with or conform to any other holes inthe plate. These holes in the wedge 7, are offset from the holes in theplate 3, and shoulder 5, to provide for an adjustment of the bearing ofwedge 7, against the rail, as will be explained hereafter.

The application of this form of our in vention to the rail isaccomplished as follows: The plate 3, with wedge member 7, removed, isbrought into contact with the bottom side of the lower or base portionof the rail, which, in preparation for the holding device, will havebeen raised clear of the tie. shoulder 5, and the plate 3, must first beplaced over edge 20, of the rail, in order that in raising the oppositeend of the plate 3, the shoulder 1, may clear the edge 21, of the rail.This is necessary as the distance be tween the edges of the shoulders 41and 5, is less than the width of the lower or base portion of the rail.The plate 3, is then to be moved across the bottom of the rail untilshoulder l, and the recess or channel formed by plate 3, and shoulder 4,are in close and immediate contact, when the wedge member 7 is to beinserted. Upon being driven to a tight and snug fit, the wedge member 7,oc cupies the space between the rail and the shoulder 5, and by means ofthe. shoulder 17, retains the rail in tight and rigid contact with theplate 3, and the parts thereof. The rail and rigidly attached plate arethen lowered until the plate rests u.- 11 the tie, to which it issecured by suitablemeans, such as spikes, bolts, or screws, one cf whichis to be driven in the center of each of the slotted holes 8, 3, and onein such single one of the holes 2, 2, 2, on the side of theplateadjacent to the wedge as shall be found practicable.

The recess or channel formed by the It is evident that that part of ourinvention before described embodies a simple and effective tie plate,adaptable to the further objects and purposes of our invention ashereinbefore set forth, one of which objects is, specifically, toprovide upon said tie plate, and in combination therewith, means forpreventing the creeping of the rail. e accomplish this specific objectas follows: It will be observed that the inner surface of the recessformed by the shoulder 1, and the plate 3, is in close and immediateproximity to one edge of the lower or base portion of the rail, and alsothat one edge of the wedge member 7, is in corresponding proximity tothe other edge of the lower or base portion of the rail. These surfaces,which are in such relation, are cut away so that the contacts andengagements of the plate 3, and parts thereof, and wedge member 7, areaccomplished by means of a number of points or surfaces in the form ofupright rail-abutting shoulders, such as 10, 12, 16. This diagonal andopposite arrangement of the points of contact 10, 12, 16, together withthe method of securing the plate 3, and parts thereof, 'to the tie by asecuring or fastening means extending into the tie through a hole of ashape and size to snugly contain the same, on one side of the plate, andby a securing or fastening means extending into the tie through slottedholes of a shape and size to permit sliding movement of same within theslotted holes, upon the other side of the plate, constitute the mainfeatures of the device to prevent creeping This part of our invention isdesigned to operate in the following manner: lpon the manifestation ofa. tendency on the part of the rail to move in a longitudinal or endwisedirection, or to creep, the plate tends to move with the rail to whichit is rigidly attached as described, but it is prevented therefrom bythe fastening means represented by spike 13, which secures the side ofthe plate through which it extends, to the tie in a firm and substantialmanner. The other side of the plate being secured by fastening meansextending through slotted holes therein, is capable of more or lessmovement, allowing the plate to revolve or rotate in a horizontal planearound the vertical fastening means shown as the spike 13, as a pivot oraxis. This turning movement of the plate instantly tightens or tends totighten the hold of the pair of contact points 1.0 and 16, or exercisesa like effect on the hold of the pair of contact points 12 and 16, bytending to decrease either the angle formed by the side of the railadjacent to the contact point 16, and a line between the contact points16 and 12, or the angle formed by the same side of the rail and the linebetween contact points 16 and 10. It will be noted that the contactpoints 16 and 12, are adapted to prevent creeping in one direction,while the contact points 16 and 10, are adapted to prevent creeping inthe opposite direction. This revolving of the plate and consequenttightening of the holding points upon the lower or base portion of therail effectually prevent creeping, and at the same time permit of thefull usefulness of the plate as a tie plate, or bearing or support ofthe rail upon the tie.

To apply the same device to the various sizes of rail, the wedge 7, isadapted to be made of varying widths as shall be found advisable, therelations and uses of the several parts of the device remaining the samefor all ordinary sizes, shapes, and Weights of rail. In order tocompensate for slight variations in the width of the base of any rail,and also to take up the variation and loss of rigidity in theconnection, due to vibration and wear or to any other cause, anadjustment is provided whereby the wedge 7, may be tightened as shall befound necessary. As shown in the drawing, Fig. 1, the fastening means,shown as spike 13, is to be driven in the first holes which presentvertically matched and coincident surfaces during the inserting of thewedge 7; but when such driving of the holding or fastening meansrepresented by the spike 13, does not secure rigid engagement of thethree points 10, 12, and 16, with the edge of the lower or base portionof the rail, the wedge 7, may be forced farther into the slot or recessprovided to contain it, until another hole therein presents matched andcoincident surfaces with a corresponding hole in the plate 3, andshoulder 5, when a fastening or holding means, as a screw, bolt, orspike may be driven through these matched and coincident holes into thetie. The driving of the wedge 7, farther into its slot or recess,tightens the hold of the points 10, 12, and 16, upon the lower or baseportion of the rail. In case a second adjustment furnishes less than therequired or desired degree of tightness in the contacts of points 10,12, and 16, upon the lower or base portion of the rail, a thirdadjustment, to be effected substantially in the same manner as thesecond, is provided for. Means are also provided whereby the wedge 7,may be forced against the lower or base portion of the rail by thedriving in of the holding means represented by spike 13, Fig. 1. Certainoffsets in the openings or holes, in a direction at right angles to therail enable the holding or securing means to force the wedge 7 againstthe lower or base portion of the rail by widening the distance betweencertain vertical surfaces presented by the offsets in the holes oropenings.

As an array of small tooth-like projections upon any or all of thecontact points such as 10, 12, and 16, tends to enhance the holdingpower of the points, provision is made to apply the same to any or allof the contact points as may be considered proper or advisable. Themanner of application of theseprojections is substantially shown in Fig.&.

It will be readily understood from the nature of our invention, that itis applicable with the same ease and facility to either side of the baseor lower portion of the rail and to either or any rail of a railwaytrack or tracks.

Those skilled in the art may readily conceive other specific forms ofconstruction of this device within the principle of our invention, uponacquaintance with the style herein shown, and therefore we do not desireto limit the manufacture of the device to the above particular form, butconsider as our invention any forms or details thereof or constructionof the same, which may be covered by or fall within the spirit and scopeof, the claims which follow:

WVe claim as our invention:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination with a railand a tie, a tie plate, means to anchor the tie plate to the tie, saidmeans being adapted to permit movement of said tie plate about one pointon the tie as a center upon the creeping of the rail, and a lockingmember adapted to lock the tie plate to the rail flange, said tie plateand said locking member being eacli provided with an upright,railabutting shoulder, and said shoulders being arranged upon oppositesides of the rail.

2. In a. device of the character described, in combination with a railand a tie, a tie plate, means adapted to anchor the tie plate to thetie, arranged to permit movement of said tie plate about one point onthe tie as a center upon the creeping of the rail, a locking memberadapted to lock the tie plate to the rail flange, said tie plate andsaid locking member being each provided with an upright, rail-abuttingshoulder, and said shoulders being arranged upon opposite sides of therail in staggered relation with reference to each other.

In a device of the character described, in combination with a rail and atie, a tie plate, means adapted to anchor the tie plate to the tiearranged to permit movement of said tie plate about one point on the tieas a center upon the creeping of the rail, and a locking member adaptedto lock the tie plate to the rail flange, said locking member beingprovided with an upright, railabutting shoulder, and said tie platebeing provided opposite the locking member with a plurality of upright,rail-abutting shoulders.

1. In a device of the character described,

in combination with a rail and a tie, a tie by the opposite .tie plateflange, said wedge plate adapted to anchor the rail to the tie, 1 memberhaving a flange adapted to engage said tie plate being movable about onepoint on the tie as a center, upon the creeping of the rail, and alocking member adapted to lock the tie plate to the rail flange, saidlocking member having one point of contact with the edge of one railflange, and there being formed on the opposite side of the tie plate aflange having two points of contact with the edge of the other railflange, said last two mentioned points of contact being arranged inadvance of and behind respectively the point of contact of said lockingmember.

In a device of the character described, in combination with the tie andthe rail, a tie plate adapted to anchor the rail to the tie, said tieplate having oppositely disposed flanges forming longitudinal groovesabove the tie plate, one 01 said flanges engaging the top of one railflange with the inner face of the groove formed by it having a pluralityof points of contact with the rail flange edge, a wedge member locatedin the groove formed by the opposite tie plate flange, said wedge memberhaving a flange adapted to engage the top of the rail flange, and havinga point of contact with the rail flange edge, means for securing saidwedge member to the tie plate, and said tie plate to the tie, the meansof attaching the tie plate to the tie being adapted to permit the tieplate to move on the tie about a point in the wedge member as a center.

(5. In a device of the character described, in combination with the tieand the rail, a tie plate adapted to anchor the rail to the tie, saidtie plate having oppositely disposed flanges forming longitudinalgrooves above the tie plate, one of said flanges en gaging the top ofone rail flange with the inner face of the groove formed by it having atleast one point of contact with the railflange-edge, a wedge memberlocated in the groove formed by the opposite tie plate flange, saidwedge member having a flange adapted to engage the top of therail-flange, and having a point of contact with the railflange ec ge,means for securing said wedge member to the tie plate and said tie plateto the tie, said means being adapted to permit the tie plate to move onthe tie about a point in the wedge member as a center.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination with the tieand the rail, a

tie plate adapted to anchor the rail to the tie, said tie plate havingoppositely disposed flanges forming longitudinal grooves above the tieplate, one of said flanges engaging the top of one rail flange with theinner face of the groove formed by it, having two points of contact withthe rail-flange-edge, a wedge member located in the groove formed thetop of the rail flange and having a point of contact with the railflange edge, said three points of contact being arranged in staggeredrelation to each other, means for securing said wedge member to the toptie plate and said plate to the tie, said means for securing the tieplate to the tie being adapted to permit the tie plate to move on thetie about a point in the wedge member as a center.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination with the tieand the rail, a tie plate adapted to anchor the rail to the tie, saidtie plate having oppositely disposed flanges forming longitudinalgrooves above the tie plate, one of said'flanges engaging the top of onerail flange, with the inner face of the groove formed by it havingspaced points of contact with the rail-flange-edge, a

wedge member adapted to engage in the groove formed by the opposite tieplate flange, said wedge member having a flange adapted to engage thetop of the rail flange, and having a point of contact with therailflange-edge, spike holes formed in the wedge member and in the tieplate adapted to register with each other when the wedge member is inproper position, elongated spike holes formed in the opposite side ofthe tie plate, and spikes adapted to pass through said before mentionedspike holes to secure the tie plate to the tie.

9. In a device of the character described,

in combination with the tie and the rail, a tie plate adapted to anchorthe rail to the tie, said tie plate having oppositely disposed flangesforming longitudinal grooves above the tie plate, one of said flangesengaging the top of one rail flange with the inner face of the grooveformed by it having two spaced points of contact with therail-flangeedge, elongated spike holes formed in the tie plate on theside where are located said two points of contact with the rail flangeedge, a wedge member located in the groove formed by the opposite tieplate flange, said wedge member having a flange adapt-ed to engage thetop of the rail flange and having one point of contact with therail-flange-edge, a spike hole passing through said wedge member andthrough the tie plate and spikes adapted to secure said tie plate to thetie.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination with the tieand the rail, a tie plate adapted to anchor the rail to the tie, saidtie plate having oppositely disposed flanges engaging the top of onerail flange with the inner face of the grooved formed by it having twospaced points of contact with the rail-flange-edge, elongated spikeholes formed in the tie plate on the side where are located said twopoints of contact with the rail-flange-edge, a Wedge member located inthe groove formed by the opposite tie plate-flange, said Wedge memberhaving a flange adapted to engage the top railflangeedge, a plurality ofpairs of spike holes located, respectively, one of each of said pairs insaid Wedge member, and the other in said tie plate, one of said pairsbeing adapted to register When said Wedge member is in looking position,and spikes adapted to secure said tie plate to the tie.

11. In a device of the character described, in combination With the tieand the rail, a tie plate adapted to anchor the rail to the tie, saidtie plate having oppositely disposed flanges forming longitudinalgrooves above the tie plate, one of said flanges engaging the top of onerail flange With the inner face of the groove formed by it having aplurality of points of contact With the rail flange edge, a Wedge memberlocated in the groove formed by the opposite tie plate flange, saidWedge member having a flange adapted to engage the top of the railflange, and having a point of contact With the rail-flangeedge, andmeans for securing said Wedge member to the tie plate, and said tieplate to the tie, said tie plate, when secured to the tie, being adaptedto swing about one point as a center upon the creeping of the rail.

JAMES B. LATIMER. ARTHUR D. CLOUD.

Witnesses:

ADoLPH W. MUELLER, J. RAYMOND ONG.

